PhD student position in Physical Geography: Source and age of Late Quaternary European loess deposits

Sort on published: 2018-01-25

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our mission is to pursue top-quality research and education and to interact constructively with society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has 42,000 students, 7,000 employees and a turnover of SEK 6.7 billion.

The Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University is one of the largest and scientifically broadest Earth Science Department in Sweden and includes research programmes in Mineralogy, petrology and tectonics, Geophysics, Palaeobiology, Hydrogeology, Meteorology and Natural resource science.

Duties/Project description: Windblown deposits of loess cover 10% of the world’s continents. The timing and source of loess dust accumulation provides crucial insight into past dust activity, a fundamental but poorly known part of the global climate system. However, very little is known about how rapid, millennial-scale variations in dust activity are recorded in loess and link to rapid climate changes. Furthermore, the sources of many loess deposits are poorly constrained, and it is unknown if changes in loess accumulation rate are linked to dust source changes.

The PhD position is part of a VR funded project that aims to address this through detailed multi-proxy provenance analysis and radiocarbon dating of Late Quaternary loess deposits from Eastern Europe and Russia. The PhD student will have the opportunity to apply multiple sediment provenance techniques, including single-grain zircon U-Pb and rutile trace element and U-Pb analyses, and bulk XRF analysis, and will also utilize small gastropod and charcoal radiocarbon dating to construct age models and dust mass accumulation rates. The student will have access to state of the art geochemical and radiocarbon dating facilities at Uppsala and collaborating institutions. A key part of the PhD position includes travel to these external laboratories and for fieldwork in Russia and Eastern Europe. The holder of a PhD-student position shall primarily devote his/her time to their own research studies. Other departmental work, such as educational or administrative, can be part of the position (max 20%).

Requirements: The applicant should have a university degree in Earth Sciences, Physical Geography or similar. The successful candidate should also ideally have a solid base in one or some of the following: Quaternary science, loess, geochronology, geochemistry and palaeoclimatology. Knowledge of radiocarbon dating or provenance studies will be a merit and basic laboratory and computer skills are essential. The applicant must be eligible for PhD studies. Priority is given to those who are deemed to show the greatest aptitude for successful completion of graduate studies. Local guidelines at Uppsala University determine salary levels.

Application: Applications must include a CV, certified copies of diplomas and certificates, and personal statement describing yourself and your relevant experience (maximum two pages). The application should also contain a summary of your master’s thesis and eventual publications, and contact details and letters from at least two referees.

Uppsala University strives to be an inclusive workplace that promotes equal opportunities and attracts qualified candidates who can contribute to the University’s excellence and diversity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and from people of all backgrounds.

Salary: According to local agreement for PhD students and teaching assistants.

Starting date: 01-07-2018 or as agreed on. Temporary position four years.

Type of position: Full time position.

For further information about the position please contactDr. Thomas Stevens, tel. +46-18 471 1788, e-mail thomas.stevens@geo.uu.se Please also see the following articles:

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.

We decline offers of recruitment and advertising help. We only accept the application the way described in the advertisement.

Placement:
Department of Earth Sciences

Type of employment:
Full time
, Temporary position longer than 6 months